First of all, here’s an updated belly photo. We’ve entered the third trimester, and Baby Girl is getting so big that Mama is uncomfortable. We’re so thankful for this little life and a healthy, easy pregnancy!

Travel Plans

We have rescheduled our tickets for one week later than originally planned. We will now return to Germany on August 22nd. These are the latest tickets we would find while still being back in Germany for Black Forest Academy’s Opening Ceremony on September 2. While neither of us are on staff at BFA this year, it is still important to us to be there for these events!

With our new itinerary, we have a seven hour layover in London, after our nine hour international flight. I (Dani) am to the point in the pregnancy that I’m getting rather uncomfortable. I also have a pulled muscle in my stomach which can be painful. Please join us in praying that I will be comfortable during this long travel day. I’m even asking the Lord for a bump up to economy class so I can lay down for a few hours!

Partner with us in 2014

Support Still Needed

Israel and I are at 73% of our support in monthly pledges. With one-time gifts, we’re at 87% of our budget. We are cleared to return to Germany at 90%. In this final week, we are asking the Lord to bring in more monthly supporters as well as some additional one-time gifts. We will have a few larger expenses this year, so it would be great to have some extra money in our account for those things. We would like to raise $500 more in monthly support and $5,000 more in one-time gifts.

We are thankful for God’s provision again this year. Once more, he has surprised us with the ways he has provided. His provision looks different every time. This has been a particularly challenging summer for me. I’ve struggled with feeling unknown. I’ve been angry. I’ve been caught in the late-night cyclone of anxiety. There have been multiple crying bouts. Being pregnant, I’m also much more easily worn out. I’m so thankful for Israel. He is continually patient, kind, and understanding. He’s taken on more of the demands of the summer, since I’m less able to handle them. That husband of mine is pretty amazing.

Give and Get

There’s still time to give! We’re looking for new monthly supporters, current supporters who want to increase their giving, and one-time gifts. Israel’s dad, Dennis Jernigan, is even giving away his latest album, Days of Awe, to anyone who supports our ministry! You can give and download the album here.

You can also share with others our giving page if you aren’t sure how to help.

Pray With Us!

Remaining Support Needs – Ask God to provide for our remaining support needs by August 22nd. Ask for favor and opportunities to share with new folks. Thank him for the ways he’s already (and always) met our needs!

Travel Home – Pray for safe and easy travel home. Pray that I will be comfortable and pain-free. Ask for favor from British Airlines and in the London airport so I can rest.

Baby Girl – Continue to ask the Lord for a healthy and safe pregnancy and baby. I’m very eager to prepare things at home for the arrival of Baby Girl. Once we return to Germany, we’ll decide where to go for the birth. Pray that Baby Girl arrives while my sister is visiting and in time for us to travel back to Oklahoma for a family wedding in December.

Israel’s Job – Ask God to bless Israel with excitement, energy, confidence, creativity, and wisdom in his work. After focusing on support raising this summer, he’s got a lot of work to catch up on!

We’re about to begin our Senior year in Germany. This is not to say that it’s our final year, but our fourth year. When we came to Black Forest Academy, this year’s Seniors were freshman. We’re also Senior Sponsors, so we get to join the Seniors in all of their final year festivities. My how we’ve grown.

In mid-June, we said tearful goodbyes to the Seniors and a few other beloved students who won’t be returning. Dani graduated six girls she met with on a regular basis. Goodbyes are hard here. There are many more than we’d prefer, and some are unexpected.

A few days after Grad, we flew to Oklahoma for the Inner Healing and Freedom Conference. Dani spoke twice, about shame and the value of suffering. We were delighted to have two BFA students attend the conference. It was a small gathering of about 50 people, but God moved powerfully. We spent two more weeks with our family before flying back to Germany. The past few months have provided some much-needed rest.

From Dani

School starts in a week, and for the first time, I don’t know if I’m ready. Last week, I cried over the events of the past school year. I cried for my students’ pain, suffering and sin. I cried for the brokenness of the world. In some ways, I think it’s taken me these two summer months to relax enough to be able to cry.

The past school year was incredible. It was full of blessing, but so heavy with heartache. I don’t feel quite ready to jump back in. I am ready to see the students I love, but I don’t know if I’m ready to carry so much pain again. I don’t feel enough. I don’t know how to help. I don’t know what to say or do.

I just finished my second counseling course through CCEF. The biggest lesson I learned is that I am not the Holy Spirit. That has been the theme of the past six months. This has been a season of humbling and repentance from my self-sufficiency, from my attempts to save people. I have learned, just a little more, how to release these beautiful souls into the hands of our gentle and wise God.

So, for this new year, I want to continually cry out to God on behalf of, and in my interactions with, these students. I want to pray more. I want to listen better. I want to continue to learn what love does and says, what love looks like.

From Israel

I have been working in my new role since the middle of July. I am no longer the webmaster for BFA, but am working in the Communications Team at TeachBeyond. I will be doing similar work in regards to websites and such, but I hope to be able to focus more on getting people excited about how education can impact and transform a community and the people who shape it. I am excited that God has put me here.

I am learning so much about who God sees me as, and how I continue to fight him about it. My default is to internalize and rationalize my life, and to not bring Jesus into the picture. I feel like I’ve been learning this over the past two years, and God has started to help me see things about myself that I have been running from.

God is good, and I am so thankful that he has allowed us to be here. I feel so blessed and cared for by him and by those he has brought alongside us, you. Thank you all so much for praying and supporting us, in so many ways. I can only begin to understand your sacrifices, and for that I am genuinely grateful.

Praises

Marriage – We celebrated our seventh anniversary in July. We took a weekend trip to Heidelberg, Germany, our first trip away in six years. We are growing in love and communication and are experiencing new levels of intimacy and unity.

Everyday Blessings – We’ve been able to purchase a new mattress and car. We hope to buy a new dishwasher soon. These are not necessities, but are huge blessings to our daily life. After spending the past two years sleeping on springs, walking 40 minutes to school, and fighting with our dishwasher, we are grateful for a good night’s sleep, reliable transportation, and clean dishes!

Settling In – We are beginning to finally feel settled in Germany. We’re taking greater advantage of the beautiful places around us and are more confident in daily tasks. We feel known and loved. Life is getting easier; it’s about time.

The Joy of Giving and Receiving – Recently, we relished the opportunity to support more friends and family in their missionary work. Without you all, we would not know such joy in our giving. We have been extravagantly blessed by you who stand with us as we serve in Germany. You have taught us the joy of giving and receiving.

Prayers

Against Fear – We’ve become aware of how much of our lives are controlled by fear. We do not want to live from fear, but from confidence in the great love and care of our Savior. Pray that we would be grounded in who Christ is, and would know how to live every moment from that place of safety.

For TeachBeyond – Our organization is growing by leaps and bounds. Pray for vision, wisdom and protection for our leaders and team members. Pray for Israel and the Communications Team, that they would know how to best support the global work of TeachBeyond.

For BFA Students – Continue to beseech the Lord on behalf of our students. Many of the students who graduated or left BFA in June are carrying very heavy loads. May they turn to Christ and rest in him.

For the New School Year – New students begin to arrive on Sunday. The first day of school is Tuesday. We have no idea what to expect from this year. Pray that the student body will hunger and thirst for God. Pray that BFA will be a place of safety—physically, emotionally and spiritually. Pray for wisdom and energy for BFA Staff to know how to best care for and educate these students.

Junior-Senior BanquetJunior-Senior Banquet

At Junior-Senior BanquetAt Junior-Senior Banquet

The Small Group I got to lead in April and May.The Small Group I got to lead in April and May.

At GradAt Grad

Goodbyes After GradGoodbyes After Grad

Seniors!Seniors!

Some of the students we saw this summer.Some of the students we saw this summer.

Job Changes for Israel

Since 2009, when we joined our sending organization TeachBeyond, Israel’s vision has reached beyond one country. At Black Forest Academy, Israel was able to help one school accomplish their mission through media, but his desire has always been to help not just one school, but many. In light of this vision, Israel will join the Communications Team of TeachBeyond this July.

TeachBeyond is our sending organization. Their vision is, “to be an instrument of redemptive change through transformational education – an education grounded in Judeo-Christian values that equips students to reach their full potential as human beings. It is a vision for global impact, building bridges between peoples and cultures.” TeachBeyond currently has about 330 members serving in 32 countries. These numbers increase every year as TeachBeyond partners with, founds and equips new schools around the globe. With 30 partner schools, TeachBeyond serves a combined enrollment of over 26,000 national and international students. If you’d like to learn more about TeachBeyond, please view their website or the annual report.

Israel’s change in position means that he will no longer be an employee of BFA, though he will continue to partner with BFA’s Communications Team. Many things are still being discussed regarding the specifics of TeachBeyond’s Communications Team, but Israel’s hope is to make TeachBeyond and it’s partner schools successful in using transformational education to reach the world for Christ. Logistically, very little will change for us. Israel will work from the TeachBeyond offices in Kandern, the same town where BFA is located. Dani will continue to serve BFA as an Assistant Chaplain. We will live in the same house and work less than a kilometer away from each other. Israel will still be involved at BFA through coaching and being a class sponsor and dorm sub.

We are seeking God’s will for our long-term plans. After two more school years, we will spend a year on Home Assignment. We are open to continuing our service with TeachBeyond/BFA for another five-year term, but are uncertain what God desires for us. If we do continue long-term, Israel’s role with TeachBeyond may influence whether we return to Germany or head somewhere else.

Please join us in praying for Israel’s transition out of BFA and into TeachBeyond. We are excited for what God will do in and through Israel in his new role. We believe this is a change God has been leading Israel toward for four years. We are delighted that he will be able to support and equip God’s work through education in this new role.

From Dani: A Wearying Few Months

Since returning from Spring Break in mid-April, many serious matters have surfaced in the lives of the students I meet with. I struggle to know how to share with you while respecting the privacy of these students. Suffice it to say, it has been an incredibly draining seven weeks. God has allowed me to enter into a phase of ministry which is more demanding than any I have experienced before. Many of these girls are dealing with the darkest parts of their lives. They are facing their own sin and suffering in ways that are almost too much to bear.

Personally, I have struggled to keep hope. I have felt discouraged and dismayed, wondering whether my investment is making a difference, wondering why God has me in this role when it sometimes seems to matter very little. I am realizing how much pride is wrapped up in my discouragement. I am discouraged because my love seems to be so ineffective. The truth is that my love is ineffective, but Christ’s love is utterly sufficient. He is at work. He is redeeming and wooing these girls to himself.

Please partner with us in bringing these students before Christ. Pray that he would be real to them, that they would seek him in the midst of their heartache, that they would turn their hearts toward him. Pray for wisdom, healing and protection for these families. Pray for patience, strength and hope for me. I want to be gentle, compassionate, and long-suffering, but I am weary.

Highlights from April and May

Small Group – A Junior Small Group Leader had to move back to the States before the school year ended, so Dani has been leading this group since Spring Break. She has delighted in getting to know these girls better as they share their life stories each week.

Junior-Senior Banquet – As Junior Class Sponsors, our largest responsibility was helping to plan BFA’s version of Prom, the Junior-Senior Banquet. Our committee, the Entertainment committee, was a pretty significant undertaking. We headed up 14 students who planned, auditioned and organized 11 musical performances, eight tribute letters from dorms, and the schedule of the evening. Israel worked tirelessly for weeks to make sure everything was ready. In the end, the evening was a wonderful—relaxed, pleasant, fun and meaningful. We were wonderfully surprised at how well all the details came together. We are also very, very glad it’s over. 🙂 You can view photos of JSB here.

Baptisms – Every year, BFA has a baptism service at the local english-speaking church. This year, one of the girls Dani has been meeting with for three years was baptized. Dani was thrilled to be asked to support this student on stage while she shared her testimony and was baptized. This baptism was a wonderful close to this student’s time at BFA. During her time here, God has transformed her with his love. She will graduate in June.

Upcoming Events and Prayer Needs

Speaking Opportunities – Dani will speak in Chapel this Friday on the value of suffering. Pray that God would give her clarity and wisdom to know how to address this difficult topic. She will also speak on June 20-22 at the Inner Healing and Freedom Conference in Muskogee, OK. This conference is lead by Israel’s dad, Dennis Jernigan. Two BFA students will be joining us at for the week. Pray that God would move in all hearts involved. Registration is still open if you’d like to come!

Grad – BFA’s Graduation is on June 14. These final three weeks of school are packed with projects, finals, and a slew of emotions. Pray for the Seniors as they prepare for this huge transition. Pray for good farewells. Pray for the staff and students who are being left behind.

Summer Travel – We will be traveling to the States for three weeks following Graduation. The first week will be spent in Muskogee, OK for the conference. We will spend the rest of our time visiting family. Pray for safe, easy travels and that this is a restful and sweet time with family.

Sometimes, it is most exciting to have nothing to do. For the first time in a month, Israel and I are spending a weekend at home. We don’t look forward to the empty weekends because we dread our work and ministry, but because our lives are filled with so much good that it’s easy to do too much.

It’s been a full six-weeks since we last wrote: two weekends of dorm subbing, speaking on a panel about identity, high school retreat, helping host an open house at a dorm, illness, doctor’s appointments, an international church service, Service Project prep, attending counseling, participating in a Murder Mystery Night, a new women’s bible study, time with friends, working on new web projects, planning for the future of our ministry, meeting with students, and the list could go on, but that would make this update even longer, so I’ll stop.

Highlights

Of the many things we’ve done over the past weeks, here are two that most stood out.

Time at the Dorm

We got to spend two of the past three weekends subbing at the wonderful Palmgarten dorm. We love being at the dorm! From cooking meals, to helping with homework, to playing games, to just laughing with the girls, it’s always a joy and privilege. On one of these weeks, Palm and the boys dorm upstairs, Maugenhard, hosted an open house. We helped the girls clean, cook and decorate, to host over 100 guests from our community. The theme of the evening was the Evolution of Music. Each floor and room was assigned a different era and genre of music ranging from the 50s to today; students were encouraged to dress up as a musician. We brought our Wii Just Dance game, which was quite hilarious to watch.

We also had the opportunity to join Palm on their Valentine’s Day event, a casino-themed Murder Mystery Night. Israel got to play an Elvis impersonator, while I was Security Sam, the head of casino security. Don’t worry, neither of us were the murderer.

The Murder Mystery Night Cast

High School Retreat

If you follow me on Facebook, you might know that I was sick with the flu in the days leading up to our High School Retreat. I missed Retreat our first year at BFA and was worried that I wouldn’t be able to attend this year either. But, thanks to the prayers of many people across the globe, I woke up bright and chipper on Thursday morning and was able to head to our Retreat location in the Alps!

Retreat weekend was remarkable. The speaker, Dave Williams, has an incredible story of God’s redemption and glory in suffering. I encourage you to read this article, which summarizes his story of adoption, abuse, crime, salvation and cancer. His life has been tragic and difficult, but in the face of such hardship, he still has a smile on his face. Regarding the diagnosis of his second form of cancer, this time terminal, he simply said, “There must be a God.”

I knew a bit about Dave’s story before he came, and had been praying that God would speak to specific students. God answered those prayers. God moved through Dave’s story is such a beautiful way. Hard hearts were softened. Those who had been lost in despair moved toward hope. Complacent students were challenged to fight for their relationship with God, in both the good and bad times.

Worship at Retreat

Israel and I both got to lead a small group during the weekend. My (Dani’s) group in particular was a joy. I co-led an existing small group whose leader wasn’t able to attend the weekend. I knew the majority of these girls and was able to jump into serious discussion right away. The girls said the opened up more during this weekend than they ever have before.

I also had the privilege of helping plan a girl’s breakout session with some other amazing BFA women. The time began with a modesty talk unlike one they’d ever heard. It centered on our identity in Christ and loving him, rather than on the rules which are so often our focus. Then, myself and four other women answered questions which ranged from makeup, to masturbation, to marriage. The girls stayed for nearly two hours, even though they could have left much earlier! I heard multiple women and students say this was the best modesty/sex talk they’d ever heard!

Praise God for all he did during this weekend away!

Upcoming Events

Please be in prayer for these things.

Spring Break – On Thursday, Spring Break begins. 116 staff and students are participating in Service Projects to eight different locations across Europe, Asia and Africa. From March 23 to 26, BFA is hosting the International Christian Educator Conference. Hundreds of international school workers from across Europe will travel to Kandern for fellowship, education and rest. All of the BFA staff will be helping to facilitate this conference, in addition to participating in it. Pray for safety and health for those going on service projects, those traveling home, and those coming to the conference. Pray that God would work through and in our students on their service projects.

Seniors – The final quarter of the year is a challenging time for our Seniors. While excited about the next chapter of their lives, they are are also saying many goodbyes. Many students are saying final goodbyes to the countries, peoples, and cultures that made up their childhoods. Pray for these Seniors to have wisdom regarding their futures, good time-management, peace, and good farewells.

New Opportunities – After Spring Break, I (Dani) will have many several things beginning in addition to my normal responsibilities. I’ll be helping out with small groups more, beginning a distance education counseling class, and possible working on several video projects for BFA’s Chapel services. Pray for energy, excitement, and time management.

Next Year’s Staff – BFA is still in the process of finding staff for next year. Here, you can see a list of open positions at schools all across the world. Pray that God would quickly fill the remaining gaps.

Summer Conference – In June, I will be speaking at the Inner Healing Conference hosted by Israel’s father, Dennis Jernigan. I am incredibly excited to be asked to participate, but also feel slightly inadequate to contribute anything of worth! Some BFA students will be attending the conference with us, which makes my heart happy; we’d love for you to join us as well! Please consider telling your family, friends, and church about this opportunity. Pray that God would prepare the hearts of the conference speakers as well as those who attend.

Thank You

We have been especially thankful for you lately. Your prayers for these students and my health, your cards in the mail, and your faithful giving having encouraged us lately. God has surrounded us with so many who care not only about our ministry to these fabulous students, but also about us. Thank you for asking how we are doing, for thinking of and praying for us, for rejoicing and mourning with us. Truthfully, there are few things I can think of that would be more meaningful than the work we get to do here, and we would not be here without you. You are a part of the slow, steady work of Jesus in these kids. They are knowing and loving him more because of you.

So classes resumed January 8th here at Black Forest Academy. Students were buzzing with stories from the Christmas break, and dorms were again full of screaming highschoolers pining for more sleep. But this school year is different for two reasons. One, the first semester exams were three weeks into the new calendar year. Two, that means that the second semester didn’t start until the week after. You can imagine the horror of realizing you have to remember geometry theorems from over a month ago for an upcoming final exam.

A School Schedule to Rule Them All

As a sidenote, many students had seen “The Hobbit” over break. So I thought it fitting to find a correlation with the movie and our school schedule.

Our new school schedule places our semester’s ending and beginnings around the same time that all the German schools in the area have their breaks and starts. The reasons behind are many, but one of the main reasons is so that our bilingual elementary school doesn’t start or end 3-4 weeks before or after our high school campus does. Many of the families have students on both campuses, and I think that the parents appreciate the move, much more so than the students.

Spring Break Service Projects

Another reason was so that our Easter/Spring Break weeks would coincide or overlap. This means that we can partner with the local groups and schools to do service projects as a team. Over the past two years, BFA has been pushing to better relate to and connect with the community where we live. Last year, we partnered with the local school to do just that by building a house in Romania through Habitat for Humanity.. There was such a positive response by the community, that there are two combined BFA-German service projects planned for this Spring Break. I think that’s pretty cool. You can read about where all of our spring break service projects are going on the BFA webpage. These combined trips are projects one and two.

Fastnacht

I don’t talk about this much on our blog, but it seems to be coming up more and more in the lives of the students around Dani and I. You might not know this, but our region of Germany has a strong Wiccan presence. They usually have the party booths at festivals and the loudest floats in the parades. I mention this because, during this time of year, there is a festival called Fastnacht or Fasching. It’s the German Mardi Gras celebration. (You can read more about it on this wikipedia page and this page.) But what these celebrations represent is greatly felt by many of our students. Some students and staff report increased demonic oppression during this time. Others deal with greater fear, and nearly all of the BFA community is faced with sadness and lethargy during the dark month of February.

A Little Bit About Us

Some New Websites

I have been working recently with the organization that started the school, JanzTeam. It has been great working alongside the Germans who are working there. I have helped do a quick redesign of janzteam.de within their current CMS. It’s not perfect, but I think it’s a great change from what they had as their template. This has also created an opportunity for me to do some changes on their other websites this coming week, specifically their music academy schallwerkstadt.de. Their menu will have dropdowns soon. This also gives me a great opportunity to practice my German, which I am really excited about!

A New Video With Parent Interviews

This is a video we produced. We interviewed parents of last year’s Seniors about the impact BFA has had on their families. I’m really excited about this format, and about being able to share these stories with you! Two of these families daughters were in Dani’s small group last year!

And Now Some of Dani

Dani has seen God do some amazing things in girls recently. Some students have had major spiritual breakthroughs and others seems to be on the verge. As girls continue to share their emotions and stories, Dani is profoundly moved and humbled, both by their pain and by the knowledge that she is one who gets to receive these precious stories. While there is much pain and many lies in these students’ lives, we both are praying that they will see God’s love, grace and care for them.

Some Things Needing Prayer

That the student’s going on service projects over break are aware of the impact and responsibility that they are able to have for the kingdom.

That the teachers and staff leading the trips are able to have peace about their plans and trust the God has everything under control.

For the new teachers and staff who just entered the BFA community this month, that they are able to quickly adapt to the German and BFA culture.

That Jesus would be real to these students. Many battle daily with trusting that he has their best interests, or that he even cares.

Pray for increased protection and a greater awareness of God’s presence during the Fastnacht (Mardi-Gras/Carnival) season. I want to pray Romans 8:15 over students who are strongly affect during this time; there is no need to fear.

Our High School Retreat is from March 1-3. Pray for the preparations that need to be done, as well as the hearts of the students, that they would be open to hearing from God during this time.

I miss people. It’s been a difficult adjustment this year. I miss all of the Seniors from last year. All of our closest friends are also gone this year. I’ve been rather sad.

New relationships are forming. We’ve been trying, with what little free time we have, to build new relationships with friends. We need friends. I’ve also been encouraged by the opportunities I’ve had to connect with new students. I’ve already had a few conversations with students that made me think, “Maybe there is a reason God brought us back here on time.”

God is moving.God has impressed upon me the importance of praying for our Student Body this year. I’ve been praying that he would revive and awaken them to desire him above all else, and have also been praying more for specific students. There’s a sense of expectation at BFA this year. I’ve heard staff and students say that God is going to do something here, we just don’t know what. This week was Spiritual Emphasis Week. All week, we met in the morning for worship and teaching. It was incredible. God moved and students responded. Last night, we had a final time of worship. This is an optional time, but nearly half of our student body was there. We had nine prayer stations set up around the room. We worshiped God and shared our stories for two hours. All week, I kept saying, “That was so good.” It was so good. Please join us in praying for the students of BFA this year.

Upcoming Events. Our busyness isn’t going to subside any time soon. Israel will continue to coach volleyball, which requires traveling every weekend until November. We’re subbing at a dorm next weekend, and then again in October. We’ll be traveling to Normandy and Paris with the Junior class in two weeks. I’ll be attending a conference on Guilt and Shame in October; I’m very excited about it. We have to get our German taxes settled next week. Please pray that they will be manageable! We’ve also go our normal jobs and life to keep up with. Israel’s been so busy with random side jobs that he hasn’t had time to focus on major projects. And, our house is a mess. We need energy, rest, and efficiency.

Well, this turned out to be a bit of a blog post after all. To finish it off, here are a bunch of photos. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take photos of the Spiritual Emphasis Week worship night, which is a bummer because the prayer stations were très cool.

FriendsBefore school started, we took a trip to Freiburg with some of our new staff member friends. Here we are at the train station, having fun with panoramic photos.

The Münster CathedralThe Münster is a gorgeous Cathedral in Freiburg, our favorite local city. During the war, everything in this area was destroyed from bombing, but the Münster was somehow spared.

Ancient MeasurementsFreiburg has a fabulous outdoor market around the Münster. Carved into the walls of the Münster are the standard market measurements from Yore. Here are Jamison and Israel examining the measurements for cheese, or a loaf of bread or some such thing. The sizes get smaller as the years progress.

Wisteria LaneThis is my favorite little street in Freiburg. The vines are Wisteria, which flower beautifully in the Spring.

Pastries!GERMAN PASTRIES ARE THE BEST!!

Coffee and CamerasCoffee at our favorite, standing-table only, cafe. I actually left our newly purchased camera on this table after taking this photo. Fortunately, some wonderful German turned it in, so it was waiting for me when we came back.

Our Little HomeWe live on the top floor of this house, with the little umbrella.

SeniorsBefore BFA’s Opening Ceremony, Seniors gather in the Student Center with the flags.

Parade of NationsOur Seniors holding the flags of the 53 countries represented at BFA this year.

Student Body PresidentThe Student Body President speaking at the Opening Ceremony. He's standing in front of the banner of this year's Chapel theme, Transformed.

Saying GoodbyeA BFA family says goodbye after the Opening Ceremony.

They're Back!The students are back!

The Pull-Up GameThe Pull-Up Game, a version of musical chairs, from Chillin' and Grillin'. Students had to run across the circle and switch places with someone before the music stopped.

New Students New students and Chillin' and Grillin'.

My LoveIsrael at Chillin' and Grillin'. Though it's not evident from this photo, we did actually have fun.

Seniors and SophomoresSeniors and Sophomores playing The Pull Up game at Chillin' and Grillin'.

Well Folks, we’ve been back in Germany for two weeks. How fabulous it is to be back to our beautiful Schwarzwald (Black Forest). The past two weeks have already been quite busy, and school hasn’t even started yet!
Today, new students are moving into their dorms. Tomorrow, new families and students will meet teachers, finalize schedules and learn about life at BFA. On Tuesday, we kick off the school year with our Opening Ceremony. The seniors will carry in the flags of each country represented at BFA. Staff and students will be charged to honor God, set an example and love each other well. And with that, a new year begins. It’s an exciting time.

A Few Things You Can Pray For

Safe travels — For new and returning students

New students and their families — That God would comfort these families as they separate and students as they adjust to life at BFA.

Our Staff — This year, we have twice as many new staff as normal. Pray for unity, easy adjustments and energy. Pray for the dorm staff, as several dorms have entirely new staff teams.

Our Students — Join us in praying that God will revive the students of BFA this year, that they will desire him above all else.

For Us — This year, we want to be more intentional about maintaining balance in our lives, focusing on each other, and pursuing Jesus together.

Thank You

We are so grateful to be back. Thank you for getting us here. This summer was flabbergasting. God did what we thought was impossible, and he used you to accomplish it. We literally would not be here without your prayers, your enthusiasm, your giving. We are abundantly blessed by you who support us, who minister with us, from across the sea. Our ministry at Black Forest Academy is your ministry at Black Forest Academy.

A Final Support Update

It looks like we’ve settled at 93% of our support, which means that all of our expenses are covered, but we’re still lacking about $370 per month. We are still praying to be fully funded. If you’d like to join our team, we’d love to have you!

Since we’ve ended our summer support raising, our blog and newsletter updates will be non-support focused from now on. 🙂

Receive Blog Posts Via Email

In the past, we’ve not been great about sending out newsletters. This year, our goal is to send an email newsletter every quarter. If you’d like to receive more frequent updates on our life and ministry, you can sign up to get our blog posts via email. Simply fill out this form. Our blog is a personal look at our life, struggles, joys, and ministry to the wonderful students of BFA. If you have yet to visit our blog, you can check it out here.

We’re looking forward to jumping back into the crazy-wonderfulness that is Black Forest Academy! By the way, the photo on this post is the view from our balcony.

Partner with us in loving missionary kids

10 More Days!

Wow. What an amazing six days it has been. On Tuesday, we needed to raise $1640 a month. Now, we only need $1140! God’s provided $500 in new support since Tuesday!

All summer, our support had been slowly inching its way forward, so it’s fabulous to see it grow by leaps and bounds. It’s been such an encouraging and energizing week. We’ve been abundantly blessed by the generosity of our friends, family and church. God has surprised us with his speedy provision. We are currently at 77% of our monthly support. We are praying to be at 80% by the end of the day, and to be fully funded by August 15th!

We are still looking for 11 people to commit to giving $100 a month. Would you pray about being one of those people?

We know that not every one can commit to giving $100 each month, but don’t let the amount prevent you from giving. Commitments of any amount help us reach our goal of returning to Germany! Actually the majority of this week’s new support came from commitments that were smaller than $100 per month.

We are eager to see how God will provide over these final 10 days. Ten days, Folks! We can’t wait to get back to Germany and our BFA kids.

We Need You

This morning, we shared this video with our church. We would love for you to watch it and pass it along. We need you to partner with us and Jesus in loving missionary kids!